School drama 'Teach You a Lesson' aims to add reality, depth to original webtoon

The upcoming Netflix original series "Teach You a Lesson," set for release at 5 p.m. Friday, imagines what such an institution might look like in real life.

Based on the webtoon "Get Schooled," the school action drama follows a team of inspectors at the fictional Education Rights Protection Bureau, which receives full-fledged support from Education Minister Choi Gang-seok, played by Lee Sung-min.

Under Choi's leadership, who believes the bureau exists "not to fight students but to fight monsters," the inspectors -- played by Kim Moo-yeol, Jin Ki-joo and Pyo Ji-hoon (also known as P.O. of K-pop boy group Block B) -- set out to teach bullies a lesson.

This image, provided by Netflix, shows a scene from the series "Teach You a Lesson." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

While the 10-episode series is largely based on the webtoon, director Hong Jong-chan made his own tweaks, including adding a brainy new character, Bong Geun-dae, played by Pyo.

When asked about controversies surrounding the webtoon, including backlash over its racial and sexist depictions, Hong acknowledged such worries.

"I fully understand the concerns surrounding the original work. The production team put a lot of effort into making a good story in a more refined way," he said, adding the team tried not to exaggerate the plot but to make it more realistic and relatable.

"We tried to highlight the cathartic appeal of the original work while enriching the characters with depth and emotion," the director added.

This image, provided by Netflix, shows the main poster for the series "Teach You a Lesson." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

As part of such efforts, the series portrays different situations and characters across 10 episodes.

"The episodes not only deal with school bullying but also show how diverse the spectrum of bullies and victims can be," Lee said. "They also show how the problems in our education system are not simple but so complex."

Hong, whose previous project "Juvenile Justice" (2022) dealt with minor criminals and explored various themes, such as justice and punishment, said he hopes "Teach You a Lesson" can likewise provide food for thought.

"Rather than suggesting an answer, I hope it can pose questions about what each of us, in our own capacity, can do as we observe the reality of small and big issues that arise at schools."